Dinner Rock, Powell River BC & MV Gulf Stream Shipwreck – A quiet, beautiful campsite is perched above Malaspina Strait near Dinner Rock Island, between Powell River and Lund, BC. During recent safety upgrades, a number of danger trees were removed. The actual “Dinner Rock” is a small rocky island that lies in sight just off to the south of the campsite.
Dinner Rock was the site of a a tragic accident on the night of October 11, 1947. The MV Gulf Stream, a 145-foot passenger vessel in service for Gulf Lines Ltd., was on route from Vancouver to Lund when it drifted off course in poor weather conditions and collided with Dinner Rock Island. The lives of three children and two women were lost in the accident. The vessel hit the rock with such force that it slid up onto the steep shore where it rolled over and partially sank.
View from Camp Site to Dinner Rock ▲
Dinner Rock Camp Site Beach ▲
View to Hernando Island ▲
Motor Vessel Gulf Stream Service History
1915 – Built by George Lawley and Sons, Neponset, MA
1917 – Acquired by the US Navy
1917 – Commissioned USS Wenonah
1919 – Decommissioned at New York
1919 – Transferred to the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey and commissioned USC&GS Wenonah
1922 – Returned to Navy custody
1923 – Reclassified as Patrol Yacht PY-11
1928 – Removed from Navy list
1929 – Sold to H. W. Goodall of Santa Barbara, CA and renamed Stranger
1931 – Registered to Edwina Maxine Goodell of San Francisco, CA as the yacht Wenonah
1933 – Registered to Fred E. Lewis of Spadra, CA as the yacht Stranger
1938 – Sold to Mrs. Marian Huntingdon of San Francisco and renamed Blue Water
1939 – Sold to E. A. Riddell on behalf of the Royal Canadian Navy
1940 – Commissioned HMCS Wolf & Reclassified Z-16
1945 – Decommissioned and laid up at Indian Arm, Bedwell Bay, Vancouver, BC
1946 – Sold to Gulf Line of Vancouver and renamed Gulf Stream
1947 – Wrecked on Dinner Rock, Powell River, BC
On Saturday, 11th October 1947, the Gulf Stream was headed upcoast from Vancouver to Lund, BC. Captain John E Craddock, a crew of 21 and 15 passengers were onboard. A strong south-easterly wind was blowing when the Gulf Stream struck the east side of Dinner Rock while on a course between Westview wharf and Mace Point at Savary Island.
Due to rough seas and poor visibility, the Gulf Stream was off its course line when it hit the rock and ran up on it about a third of her length and tipped over about 45 degrees. Three children and two women drowned. A harrowing sea rescue managed to saved the lives of 10 passengers. Shortly after, the Gulf Stream slipped off the rock and plunged 120′ down to the bottom, her bow pointing up about 40′ below the surface. Even though her hull was still reasonable intact, no salvage was attempted..
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